Thick snow lying in EH6. Looks like it'll pack on the roads..
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
"Severe weather warning"
(7379 posts)-
Posted 6 years ago #
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thick snow in dalgety bay (i drove) , at crewe toll the little truck was out on the cycle path giving it a clear i assume (or grit?)
pavements around crewe toll are quite thick and getting compacted.Posted 6 years ago # -
Kicking myself, drove my commute (Bonnyrigg to Crewe Toll) the last two days but the roads do look passable with studded tyres or something a bit grippier Definitely getting a pair ready for next year, lesson learned did feel a twinge of envy when I saw a solitary cyclists on my way in
Posted 6 years ago # -
Bus route in eh11 looks clear. Side roads snowy.
Posted 6 years ago # -
conflicting reports about tomorrow - some say we are getting a massive dump of snow, some say its going south of us....
Posted 6 years ago # -
Towpath white and snowy from Meggetland west at 0745. Very comfortably passable on studded tyres. Likely to be passable (but a bit nerve-wracking) on any tyres with good tread so long as it doesn't get compacted too much more. Around the S-bend at Wester Hailes there was definitely ice under the snow, so take care on the usual icy spots in that area.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Innocent scraped/gritted between Bingham and Duddingston Road West... and tunnelwards thereafter. Restalrig path solid crunching snow. Lochend park solid crunching snow. Willowbrae Road gritted but busy city bound.
Tunnel to meadows snow.
NMW and MMW clear, Leamington Walk snow.Posted 6 years ago # -
Roseburn path clear and gritted, between Russell Road and S Groathill Avenue. Craighleith Hill still covered in snow (but didn't feel too slippery)
Posted 6 years ago # -
After my dire predictions yesterday I think the overnight snow improved matters.
I walked from our flat to the main (Gorgie) road, but the main road was fine. The roads I use in Livingston were actually better than yesterday; then there were a pair of tyre track ruts to follow, today the main road was clear.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I forgot to mention this, but I saw two snow ploughs on NEPN late yesterday morning.
In hte spirit of CEC, one was following the other. Why have one do a job when two can do the same job ... in the same amount of time...
Posted 6 years ago # -
I decided to bus commute today, just cos I don't really like the interactions with vehicles in this weather. To get my regular dose of cycling though, I got up a little earlier and went along the cycleway to Rosewell. I was go to go further but it was slow going. The snow was a touch thick in places, a strong wind in exposed bits didn't help. My impression was that the snow surface had iced up a little overnight.
Frenchy, I think the pavement between Gilmerton and Dobbies should be okay if you have wide tyres, possibly with studs. Main roads are mostly clear. Side roads vary between compacted snow and slush
Posted 6 years ago # -
Thanks @amir - I walked the dog down to Gilmerton Station Road to get a look as well. Think your assessment would be right. Big wheeled bike is in the shop though, so I'll be on the road bike. Should be quiet enough when I'm travelling to not have any problems.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I could have used spikes on the rear tyre of the tandem this morning. Definitely lost traction a couple times on our side road (very slick, packed snow/ice) and heading rom MMW to George Square. MrSRD was on folder, which seemed to cope better.
Posted 6 years ago # -
My daughter loves the snow: it's the first proper winter she can remember - last was 2011 I think, and she was only little.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Still treacherous on the side roads between Ravelston Dykes & Queensferry Road. Some spectular sliding by heavy 4x4s with locked up tyres.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@SRD I could have used spikes on the rear tyre of the tandem this morning. Definitely lost traction a couple times on our side road (very slick, packed snow/ice) and heading rom MMW to George Square. MrSRD was on folder, which seemed to cope better.
More weight required over the rear - have you considered retaining the services of a stoker for traction purposes? We used bags of sand in the rear of the farm rear-wheel-drive vehicles, so weighty panniers may provide similar benefits...
;-)
Robert
Posted 6 years ago # -
The pavements were a bit slippery for walking. I hope we don't have a melt/freeze scenario - that will be treacherous
Posted 6 years ago # -
Four or five years ago I bought my wife some of those grippy shoe sole wire web things, which she finally wore today.
Restalrig Path/Leamington Walk/Lochend Park fine with studded tyres or feet. Duddingston Row was sort of slippy where there was a layer of compacted re-frozen slush under a top dusting of fresher snow.
There was a Beemer estate struggling to get out of the top of Marionville Park. Sensibly, someone who looked like they wanted to help was not standing behind it to push it. It would have been worse for the next driver as the Beemer's rear wheels were spinning mightily, polishing the skiddy bit further.Posted 6 years ago # -
There was 10-20mm of snow in Porty overnight - this much snow on the coast usually means 'Day after Tomorrow' conditions in western/upper Edinburgh.
The prom had been gritted as far as Kings road, but from there to Leith Links there was no sign of any treatment. Still preferable to the road, so long as you avoid the icy tracks left by the tractor.
Posted 6 years ago # -
splendid offroad rural commuting this fine morn
special mention for the dalmeny chicanes hard packed snow slalom
if the locals could line the sides of the hill ringing cow bells, then the scene would be complete
Posted 6 years ago # -
@urchaidh lovely photo.
@bax lovely mental image.
Posted 6 years ago # -
I think I will be on the buses and/or grabbing lifts from colleagues for the rest of this week, maybe part of next.
Studded tyres are an increasingly tempting prospect, but I worry about actually having enough confidence even then...
Posted 6 years ago # -
jdanielp - Do it, I cycled the studded tyre Tandem along the Towpath this morning without any loss of control or traction.
Also had great fun leaving the OpenStreetMap pub meeting at the Guildford Arms in the snow last night, offered someone a lift home to Morningside so had plenty of weight on the rear. Snow was coming down quite heavily and was settled, even on Lothian Road But car behaviour was exemplary, waiting patiently and slow wide overtakes!
Posted 6 years ago # -
What Chrisfl said. You'll build the confidence by using them. It's still sensible to keep the bike upright and be ginger on the turns.
No issues for us today on the bike on a mixture of virgin, foot trampled and car compacted snow.
Plenty of car & pedestrian slips around us and few people asking us how we stayed upright.
Just remember that you won't have as much grip when you step off the bike.
Posted 6 years ago # -
Studded tyres: you will only regret the loss of your fingertips when installing them.
Posted 6 years ago # -
@bax - good effort!!!!
Posted 6 years ago # -
@chrisfl @HankChief thanks. My main concerns in terms of towpath use would be the occasional abrupt stops that are required when others don't behave as expected and crossing the Slateford Aqueduct, which I have been finding somewhat stressful this winter even in merely wet weather – I wish that they had taken the opportunity to reset the cobbles last year. I hope they build the 'Slateford Snake'.
@dougal installation and removal of studded tyres is my other main concern! A bike shop could do that for me though if it came to it...
Posted 6 years ago # -
Oh dear, everyone has such adventures, setting out in the snow and being some time...
My only small anecdote is using a walking pole to get to the bus stop (flat walk, 300 metres or so). Woman older and more decrepit than me offers me the disabled seat on the bus.
Posted 6 years ago #
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